Wisdom Fruit

The two wisdom demigods and the Original Sin Evil God observed the Source of Wisdom and the strange tree emerging from the Origin Site.

They could only watch as it bore four mysterious objects that resembled fruits. These objects held an irresistible allure, even for demigods.

They all guessed what this might mean, and some even foresaw future events.

Yet, before this vision, none dared to make a move.

Everything remained a mystery.

The fruits resided within the Creator's Domain, beyond the reach of mortal hands.

The fate of all beings, including their own, lay in the hands of the Creator.

All they could do was wait.

Within the Door of Truth.

Book after book opened from the middle, their pages flying like wings above the temple. Some flew out of the temple to land in libraries outside, while others flew in from these external libraries.

The world within the Door of Truth continuously accepted and recorded new knowledge. However, since much of this knowledge was repetitive, it was also constantly organized, reduced, and compiled.

Ghost Polik had also learned of the scene that had just appeared.

He was merely a ghost and could not form as many associations as Asai. His role was largely confined to collecting and analyzing information.

He first stated what was already known, along with what could be directly inferred.

"The Crown of Wisdom was reclaimed by the Creator God Yinsai long, long ago. It transformed into God's Moon in the Creator's Domain. Its first appearance was during the Second Henir Dynasty era, also known in Yinsai history as the God's Moon Dynasty."

"Its most recent appearance occurred when Yafuan, King of the Fire Abyss, made an oath to the Crown of Wisdom on behalf of the Abyss Race."

"Some speculate that each appearance of God's Moon represents the Creator casting His gaze into reality, though this theory has not been fully confirmed. At least, this was not the case during the last instance when the Abyss Race signed the Crown of Wisdom Covenant."

"However, this revelation of the wisdom origin site definitely occurred because the Creator took some action. All beings existing in the world as wisdom myths sensed this change, as their essence is connected to the Crown of Wisdom."

"Therefore, those who saw this vision were likely not just you, the God of Truth and Knowledge. Iva, the God of Alchemy and Desire, and even Xiao probably saw it as well."

This was all known information, which Asai had already deduced.

Asai looked at Polik. "Polik, what is your analysis of this?"

Polik opened a thick, heavy book, one that resembled the Book of the Witch Spirit.

Light surged behind him, vast seas of information churning.

Countless images appeared in succession.

"First, something unknown has occurred in the Creator's Domain, causing God's Moon to change. This change, however, must certainly be within the Creator's permission."

"Second, the power of God's Moon transformed. This transformation revealed the scene of the wisdom origin site, possibly because of the appearance of demigods, or conflicts between them."

"Third, the Creator may be intentionally selecting true wisdom deities. Therefore, the 'wisdom fruits' might represent positions."

"..."

Countless scenes flowed past behind Polik. Countless variables intersected, giving birth to countless possibilities.

But in the end, all those scenes stilled, fixing themselves before a world radiating boundless golden light.

That was the Creator's Domain.

Finally, the ghost Polik looked toward Asai.

"Everything remains unknown," he stated. "We cannot obtain truly effective answers."

"This involves the Creator."

"The will of God Yinsai is supreme. He can dictate fate, He can modify fate, and He can also allow things to take their natural course."

"And all of this, it is beyond our prediction."

Too many possibilities meant that, essentially, they had no idea where the future would lead.

No one could truly anticipate everything from the beginning and formulate a so-called foolproof plan.

The first step was always gathering information.

Only by knowing more, by knowing everything in advance, by standing at the highest point could one grasp opportunity and fate.

Polik looked at Asai. "We need more information," he stated.

Asai shook his head. "And where, Polik, are we to learn such information?" he asked.

"Should we ask the great Life Sovereign and Dream Sovereign?"

"Or perhaps seek an audience with the supreme Creator?"

It seemed that, with Divine Messengers, demigods could send their messages to the Creator's Domain and request an audience with its rulers.

But the reality was not so simple.

Only if a Sovereign granted you permission to contact them could you communicate with the will of these great Sovereigns.

The rainbow tree passage before the Temple of Life and the Pyramid Temple was not something every deity could open.

Even the Divine Messenger Wood Nymphs generally would not accept or acknowledge messages given to them.

They were messengers of the Gods, not servants of the Gods.

Clearly, Asai did not yet have such qualifications, or the closeness that would move sovereigns or the Creator to grant him permission.

Such privilege might belong to Divine Messengers, or perhaps even to the most ordinary spirit playing in the Sun Cup Flower Sea.

But he would not have it.

However, Asai was not anxious. He was already a wisdom demigod.

If a new era was approaching, he was already one of those standing at the crest of the wave. He did not believe he would lose to others.

"I sense new changes coming," Asai mused. "The door to something higher has opened."

"What we need to do now is prepare."

Asai adjusted the brim of his hat, then looked at Polik.

"There is no need to rush," he said.

"If truth truly exists in this world, if there is indeed a limit to knowledge, then you and I will see it together."

Polik said nothing, only closing the book in his hands.

The scenes formed by converging information seas disappeared behind him.

Having seen his mother's final beautiful life dream and returned it to the Creator's Domain, Asai seemed to have become more positive.

The dreams of his childhood, the things he once longed for, seemed to have returned to him.

Asai raised his head, gazing at the Crown of Wisdom above the temple dome and the eternal star representing Yinsai.

He recalled a scene from when he was very, very small.

He stood before the temple hall, gazing up at it. Dreamy, colored light radiated from within.

At that time, he looked at the beautiful colored glass windows inside, and the pure white and sacred statues.

His face showed an expression of yearning.

He followed the people and priests in the temple hall, chanting the Redlichia Covenant together with them.

"God said..."

Back then, he was a child who loved to fantasize. Every time he stood before the temple hall, he always felt the great Yinsai extending a hand toward him.

He believed he would become a priest of God Yinsai, that he would master those magical places, that he would go see what the outside world looked like.

"I want to be the most talented person, the strongest one!"

"I want to explore all the unknown! I want to know the true nature of the world!"

The God of Truth and Knowledge, Asai, encouraged His followers on the Avel Peninsula to venture into uncharted territories and to delve deeper into the study of divine techniques. He also increased the frequency of the Door of Truth's sacrificial feedback, using this as a means to inspire and drive their devotion.

Additionally, He had his servant Sukob on Ruhe Beast Island begin building a force for collecting information and monitoring developments on the island.

This organization was called the Wasteland Witch Spirits.

In the Miracle Garden on the Sunrise Mountains.

The God of Alchemy and Desire, Iva, embraced his wife, the Golden Queen, then held her hand as they sat together upon the divine throne.

One lamp spirit after another gathered beneath the hall, bowing to God Iva.

The Golden Queen had become a Fourth-Rank apostle through Iva's bestowal, possessing a lifespan exceeding a thousand years, but Iva hoped she could achieve immortality alongside him.

God Iva looked at the Golden Queen beside him. He appeared much more human than he had years ago, no longer the cold ferryman he once was.

"I will become a true deity," he told her.

"And I will take you with me to attain immortality."

"If one day I can return to the Creator's Domain, return to the Pyramid Temple to seek an audience with the supreme Sovereign and the eternal Creator, I hope to bring you with me then."

Nostalgia showed in God Iva's expression. "The great Lady Hila," he said, "would certainly like you."

The Golden Queen said with conviction, "You will achieve it!"

"Iva," she called his name.

"You are a true deity! You are divinity from the Creator's Domain!"

On the path of wisdom, Iva perhaps did not have the status of Asai, who represented the final Royal Bloodline, the direct bloodline of Redlichia, King of Wisdom.

Nor was he like Vivien, representing the orthodox inheritance of the Trilobite People, heir to the will of the Temple of Truth and the historical saints.

He had even less of Xiao's experience of failing time and again yet never giving up.

But he was the ferryman appointed by the Sovereign, who had guided countless life dreams to the dream star sea. His achievements and background far surpassed others.

He might not be divine like the Life Sovereign who was born a sovereign, but he had become a myth by receiving power bestowed by God Yinsai in the Pyramid Temple, as a reward for his days upon days of patrolling the star sea.

The God of Alchemy and Desire, Iva, looked at the lamp spirits below. "I plan to bestow the Art of God's Grace upon the alchemists," he told them.

"God Yinsai has opened the door to higher realms for us. Therefore, I too should open the path to the future for mortals."

The lamps shone brilliantly, illuminating the fairytale-like garden and divine realm.

The Abyss.

Behind the Door of Original Sin.

The Will of the Abyss, the Original Sin Evil God Xiao, was now looking toward the mortal world, where figure after figure praying to the Abyss and seeking corruption appeared before his eyes.

But in Xiao's eyes, these people were all insignificant beings.

He had not found what he wanted, a truly promising seed.

"Find the most suitable person."

"Let them fall into the Abyss to become the Abyss King. Let this Mythical Artifact reach its limit."

This was Xiao's current plan.

No matter what the future held, whether a new era would dawn or the Creator had truly opened the path for wisdom demigods to ascend as true gods, one truth remained constant: strength was the ultimate key to shaping the future.

Why had he failed?

Was it not because he lacked the solid power to handle everything, and could only choose to scheme and plan, to defeat countless people in pursuit of that slim chance to step onto the stage?

In the black rain behind the Door of Original Sin, Xiao's gaze was cold and lofty.

He stood behind the twisted, evil Door of Original Sin, his robes fluttering in the wind and rain.

His words echoed from the Abyss, transmitting to the mortal world.

"All beings have sin."

"Those with sin will inevitably fall."

The Dream Realm.

The Pyramid Temple.

Yin Shen stood by the window, yet before his eyes appeared the scene of the wisdom origin site.

A strange and mysterious tree grew from the pure white world, rooting itself in the Source of Wisdom, rooting itself upon the original spirit of all wisdom beings.

Each of its roots connected to the deepest part of all spirits. Its trunk was the evolution of all spirits' consciousness. Countless beings' emotional faces could be seen on its branches, and each of its leaves was inscribed with the memories of all living things.

Finally, it bore four wisdom fruits.

These were also four imprints, four marks born from the Source of Wisdom.

As the Source of Wisdom, the highest authority of wisdom, and the uniqueness of power, it was also instinctively seeking to become more complete.

It wanted to reach that supreme realm Yin Shen had spoken of, that state transcending everything.

Dream Sovereign Hila was the deity controlling the Dream Realm. In some sense, the entire Creator's Domain was also her territory. Of course, she had also seen the previous scene and knew what Yin Shen was watching.

Unless she had not been paying attention, nothing that happened in the Dream Realm could escape her eyes.

"God, what is this?" Hila asked. "And why has something like this appeared within God's Moon?"

Hila hesitated to call it a tree, sensing that it was far more than just a tree.

"What is that?" she continued. "And it has produced fruits."

Yin Shen told Hila, "The grace of God's Moon has divided into four, opening the door to the wisdom origin site."

"That is not a tree!" He stated firmly.

"That is the manifestation of all spirits, the will of all beings."

Yin Shen stretched out his hand, and the divine tree manifested by the will of all spirits within the wisdom origin site began to sway. The four wisdom fruits also began to move.

"In the wisdom origin site, the will of all spirits has given birth to the authority of wisdom deities."

"Those fruits are the seeds of true divine authority, an imprint."

"Since you call them fruits, let us call them Wisdom Fruits!"

"But they have not ripened yet, and they are only in their initial form."

The four fruits were the Spirituality Wisdom Fruit, the Consciousness Wisdom Fruit, the Emotion Wisdom Fruit, and the Memory Wisdom Fruit.

Hila asked, "What purpose do they serve?"

Yin Shen replied, "Whoever can consume these fruits will embark on the path toward higher authority."

Through the appearance of the wisdom fruits, Yin Shen had already vaguely seen what the sixth rank of wisdom ability would be like.

"Spirituality, wisdom, desire, and knowledge are merely demigod authorities," He explained. "They are still incomplete authorities, unfulfilled authorities."

"Wisdom demigods who swallow the wisdom fruits will further divide their authorities. The Source of Wisdom will help them find the true form of wisdom authority, perfecting each demigod's authority and, in doing so, perfecting itself."

"For example, the authorities of desire and emotion might split into numerous others, such as love, resentment, sorrow, joy, anger, fear, and hatred, among others."

"Similarly, the authorities of knowledge and memory might manifest as different authorities according to different memories and methods."

"They will embark on the path to complete wisdom, to complete authority."

Yin Shen lowered his hand, and the swaying divine tree in the wisdom origin site finally settled down.

"Ultimately, with the most complete authority, they will return to the Source of Wisdom, complementing its power."

"And they themselves will entrust everything to the wisdom origin site. Then, the wisdom demigods will no longer obtain merely incomplete immortality."

"They will, along with the Crown of Wisdom and the will of all spirits, together obtain true eternity."

Or one could say, they would obtain eternity alongside the Creator Yinsai.

Hila looked at Yin Shen. "But in that case," she asked, "can a single demigod really achieve it?"

"It is already extremely difficult for one person to collect one authority and perfect one mythological law."

Yin Shen nodded, though He had another idea. "A single demigod cannot perfect the authority belonging to a true god," He explained. "They might need to establish a divine system, relying on numerous demigods to perfect the wisdom law."

Hila was very interested. She hoped there would be more deities, that the Dream Realm would become more lively.

She hoped the future would continue to develop, rather than remain unchanged.

She believed that more deities represented a better future.

"But how can one establish a divine system?" Hila asked. "The existing demigods are left from the previous era, and their power comes from accumulation across eras."

"Even if new demigods could obtain the seeds of authority, how could they acquire divine blood accumulation comparable to spanning an era, to ascend to demigod status in this era?"

Yin Shen looked at Hila. "There are many geniuses in the mortal world," He said.

"Whether it is Asai, Iva, or possibly that Xiao, or those rising with the tide among the Winged People, they all possess wisdom that surpasses ordinary people, a wisdom that even surpasses the era."

"Hila, do not underestimate them."

"I created you. You created them. They, in turn, created the era."

"Emerging geniuses will naturally accomplish extraordinary things, achieving miracles that ordinary people cannot imagine."

"What they need is a stage to display their talents, an era that no longer constrains them."

"Thus, like gold panned from sand, some will naturally grasp the pulse of the era and appear at the crest of its wave."

Yin Shen's voice was soft, yet Hila seemed to hear in it the trumpet call of a new era.

One figure after another emerged from the great waves, sailing ships navigating the azure sea.

Hila had only one last question. "But the wisdom fruits," she began, "are in the Creator's Domain, in the wisdom origin site within God's Moon."

"The demigods cannot obtain them there."

Although, there were not enough wisdom demigods at present.

Yin Shen glanced outside the Pyramid Temple, noticing a small head hiding there. "When they establish divine kingdoms in the mortal realm," He said, "when they transmit divine grace and wisdom to the mortal world, the wisdom fruits will naturally descend."

Just as Iva had said.

The Creator has opened the door to higher realms for us, so I too should open the path to the future for mortals.

Dream Sovereign Hila also noticed Yin Shen's gaze and turned her head to look.

She discovered a wood nymph hiding behind the temple gate, appearing as though she wanted to enter but did not dare.

Hila recognized her.

She was a very special wood nymph.

A nymph who always played with the spirits, her personality completely different from her beautiful face and figure.

It was none other than Saint Raphael, who had added "Saint" to her own name.

Saint Raphael had just happened to hear this conversation between the Creator and the Dream Sovereign. She looked inside and happened to meet Hila's gaze.

"Lady Hila!" she exclaimed.

"Great God Yinsai!"

An adorable smile immediately spread across Saint Raphael's face as she hoped to charm her way through.

But Hila did not mind such things. She still enjoyed having nymphs and spirits come to chat with her.

"Raphael, why have you come?" Hila asked.

Hila was still accustomed to calling Saint Raphael by her previous name, rather than her renamed one.

Saint Raphael did not dare look at Creator Yinsai and kept her head lowered as she approached Hila.

After paying her respects, she called out, "Lady Hila, I am about to reach Third-Rank, and I want to try becoming a Storage Nymph, to build a Storage Spirit Realm."

She fidgeted for a moment before stating the purpose of her visit.

She seemed nervous. Uncharacteristically, she lacked confidence and acted shy.

She called the Dream Sovereign's name once more. "Lady Hila," she said, "I want to visit the mortal world to complete my training."

"I want to collect prayer light related to storage from the mortal world, so I can build a dedicated Storage Spirit Realm."

When speaking of the Storage Spirit Realm, Saint Raphael's eyes gleamed.

"A huge, incredibly magnificent, and interesting realm!"

"It will have everything because everyone will entrust all their treasures to me."

"I will safeguard everyone's treasures for free!"

She spoke with great enthusiasm, appearing full of dreams and the spirit of service to others.

Yet, looking at her gleaming eyes, it was hard to feel entirely at ease.

One could not help but wonder if she was planning to steal what she was meant to guard.

Dream Sovereign Hila looked at Saint Raphael. "Are you truly ready?" she asked.

"Lady Hila, I am ready," Saint Raphael said with a nod.

She gathered her courage and added, "Please trust me, Lady Hila. I can definitely do it."

Dream Sovereign Hila thought for a moment, and finally agreed to let Saint Raphael visit the mortal world.

Wood nymphs, powerful beings who could traverse the Dream Realm, rarely encountered danger in the mortal world, and beings that could threaten them generally recognized their identity.

But in the end, Dream Sovereign Hila removed a ring from her finger and handed it to the nymph Saint Raphael.

Hila then asked, "Raphael, do you not want to build a Storage Spirit Realm to safeguard things for everyone?"

"Then first, safeguard this for me!"

Saint Raphael looked at the ring with gleaming eyes. In that moment, she resembled neither a nymph nor a spirit.

If Yin Shen were to describe her with one phrase, perhaps it would be: like Grandet seeing gold coins.

The nymph examined the ring, holding it up to her eye for a long time, as if trying to push her head through the ring.

Saint Raphael's eyes reflected the ring's brilliance. Staring intently at Hila, she asked, "Such a wonderful treasure... are you really giving it to me?"

"No, I mean... are you entrusting it to me for safekeeping?"

This made one wonder whether, in her mind, safekeeping and giving were the same thing.

Although Hila had intended to give it to her, seeing Saint Raphael's expression, she could not help but laugh and shake her head.

Finally, she stroked Saint Raphael's head, tying back her disheveled black hair, and kissed her on the forehead.

"Raphael, safe journey."

Saint Raphael tightly clutched the ring Hila had given her and ran out happily.

Hila watched Saint Raphael's departing figure, as if watching a mischievous child.

But suddenly, Hila realized something.

She looked at Yin Shen. "God," she asked Him, "did You deliberately say that for Raphael to hear?"

"She is not a quiet nymph. Sometimes I feel she might have awakened spirit blood but just grew into a nymph's form."

"She will tell Your secret to the whole world."

God Yinsai replied, "She just happened to be here to hear it."

"And you just happened to be asking me, while I just happened to want to speak."

The Creator's lips curved slightly upward as He smiled. "If there truly is such a thing as fate in this world," He said, "then this must be fate."

Besides, nymphs were Divine Messengers by nature.

They not only carried messages between Gods, but could also transmit the will of the Creator's Domain to the mortal world.

Hila watched as the Creator's form gradually dissipated within the Pyramid Temple, suddenly recalling what God Yinsai had said before.

"Don't try to arrange everything, and don't try to make everything operate completely according to your own will."

Hila pondered, "Does this mean letting everything take its natural course?"

Rainbow Spirit Realm.

Wood nymph Saint Raphael returned victorious, holding forth grandly at the tea party.

Saint Raphael held high the ring given to her by Dream Sovereign Hila, deliberately activating the radiance of this miracle tool, as if wanting to blind everyone's eyes.

"From now on, I am the Storage Nymph!"

"The first to entrust me with safekeeping an item was Lady Hila herself!"

Although she did not yet have a Storage Spirit Realm, she had already started calling herself the Storage Nymph.

At the tea party, another beautiful nymph raised her delicate teacup. "Storage Nymph?" she mused. "Isn't that... just a warehouse keeper?"

Even among nymphs, they could not help covering their mouths.

Saint Raphael picked up a piece of bread and stuffed it into the mouth of the nymph who had just spoken.

"This is the greatest realm in history, built by the great Saint Raphael, Storage Nymph, Divine Messenger, Most Beautiful Wood Nymph Lady! So, of course, it needs a magnificent name."

"No, even 'Storage Nymph' is not magnificent enough."

"I need to think of something more impressive!"

The nymphs pooled their ideas, trying to help Saint Raphael come up with a more resonant name.

Meanwhile, Saint Raphael recalled a scene she had witnessed in the Spirit Country.

The spirits had created all sorts of miraculous objects. They piled them into a mountain, which was eventually stored in a warehouse.

The things the spirits had preserved were ultimately all forgotten.

Many items in the Rainbow Spirit Realm and the Letter Spirit Realm had been taken from there.

Although abandoned and forgotten by the spirits, they were all brand new and of the highest quality.

At that time, when nymph Saint Raphael looked at that mountain, she had thought, "If I establish a Storage Spirit Realm, would not forgotten items become mine?"

"No!" she then thought with sudden clarity.

"Things placed in my Storage Spirit Realm become mine, and I can use them freely!"

Standing beneath the mountain of miraculous creations, Saint Raphael's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"If everyone in the world entrusts their treasures to me, then all treasures will belong to me, Saint Raphael!"

"That's right!"

"All the world's treasures will belong to the great and selfless nymph, Lady Saint Raphael!"

"And things stored in a spatial warehouse would certainly be the most precious treasures, without question!"

Saint Raphael woke from her reminiscence, watching the slowly progressing conversation at the tea party. She sat down and waved her hand. "Never mind," she said.

"It is fine if the name is not magnificent enough. That is not what I really want, anyway."

She sat up straight, displaying the nymphs' characteristic serene and beautiful countenance, speaking in a gentle, calm tone.

"What I want is simply to make this world more beautiful."

"To let everyone know that there exists a nymph race, and that there is a nymph silently working to build this beautiful world."

Saint Raphael looked moved, clasping her hands to her chest.

"We deliver messages for them, sending thoughts to faraway places."

"We store things for them, preserving all that is beautiful."

"That is enough."

The nymphs looked at Saint Raphael, each one greatly surprised.

Then, the nymphs at the tea party were deeply moved, gathering around Saint Raphael to praise her.

"Raphael, we never knew you were such a person!"

"You are a true nymph!"

"You only seem somewhat unreliable, but at crucial moments, you are actually very dependable!"